30 great PC gaming sound effects

A celebration of sound, from BioShock’s Big Daddy to Quake 2’s super shotgun.

Sound designers are the unsung heroes of game development. We enthusiastically discuss visuals, music, and game design, but we don't often celebrate audio. So, to give these sonic artists their due, here are 30 of our favourite noises from PC games. It's a mix of classic, recognisable sounds and newer stuff that has tickled our earbuds.

Doom – Doors
Literally just a door opening, but one of the most recognisable sounds of a door opening ever. Also heard in Star Wars and Doctor Who.

Splinter Cell – Goggle activation
Sam Fisher’s goggles are, in hindsight, a bit daft. But the sound they make when you activate them is weirdly satisfying.

Final Fantasy VII – Boss death
It’s pretty much the same as a regular enemy death, but they make it slightly longer to let you really savour your victory.

Metal Gear Solid – Guard alert
One of the most panic-inducing sounds ever. Someone in the office once had it as a text alert and I accidentally choked them to death.

Transistor – Activating a terminal
I don’t know why I love this sound, but I do. There’s just something sonically appealing about it. I should be a music journalist.

Half-Life – HealingThe soundtrack to a brief moment of respite from the various horrors of Black Mesa. I feel healthier just listening to it.

Devil Daggers – Restart
An awesomely demonic sound from this insanely fast-paced indie shooter that could have come straight out of an id Software FPS.

And that's it! There are, inevitably, loads I've idiotically left out or forgotten about, but I'm just one man with an increasingly poor memory. Share your own favourites in the comments below and let's have a fun sound party.